Mustering up the courage to move through fear is a skill that never gets old. No matter our age, level of wisdom, or sheer intelligence, we all face the point of decision.

Am I going to stop and choose a path to avoid what I really want or am I going to walk through the dark corridor of fear, shaking in my shoes, to get to the other side; the side where my vision and voice are?

Where are you hesitating and letting fear stop you from taking the next step? Many times we aren’t able to verbalize exactly what we’re thinking in the boardroom, with our spouse or our kids. Knowing that you have a contribution to make yet not the courage to share it with others is like wearing a muzzle.

It feels like someone has pushed the mute button while your inner knowing keeps screaming that you have a worthwhile contribution to make, however you just can’t get the words out and it’s making you crazy.

Finding our voice takes courage and practice.

What’s the tape that plays in your mind when you go to share your thoughts and nothing comes out? Does the tape sound something like this, “They aren’t going to understand what I’m trying to say or they must already know this or why would they listen to me?” There are many renditions of this sound bite.

Let’s create a lyric that plants the seed of courage in your mind right now!

Pick a word or phrase that reminds you of a time when you felt incredibly courageous.

Soak in the deep feeling of being full of courage for a few seconds, really feel it!

Write the word or phrase in all caps and place it in several places where you will see it throughout your day. Each time you see the word connect to the feeling.

When the old tape of fear begins to play and you notice yourself holding back or before you enter into a difficult meeting or conversation, pause take a deep breath in and say the word(s) out loud to yourself a few times.

Enter the feeling state of courage and speak from there. – You got this!!

Just like plants need water to grow, courage takes practice to bloom. As you engage and continue to use these 5 simple steps you will begin to retrain your thoughts and build courage each time you do it. This will help you begin to verbalize your thoughts to others in a powerful way.

What will your word(s) be? One of my clients created the phase, “I am 57, fearless and fabulous!” to help her strengthen her courage and be able to take steps towards her dream!

Let me know if you are feeling stuck and not able to select a word or create a phrase to feed your seed of courage. Click here to set up a discovery call with me today.

I was recently chosen to contribute to an article: 11 Ways to Rectify A Hiring Mistake

Tip #10: Learn from the experience

Remember, there’s no shame when a job isn’t a good fit for someone. It doesn’t mean they’re faulty or broken. It simply means the two pieces of the puzzle don’t go smoothly together. Learn from the experience and ask yourself, “What can I do differently to create a better result next time?” – Kris McCrea, PCC, McCreaCoaching.com